Francesca dell’Oro Page 29 is a multilayered perfume that encloses different smells, sensations, textures, images.
I first tried the fragrance in early 2019 but did not purchase it straight away. As time passed, I kept thinking about it and I am not exactly sure why. If someone had asked me what it smelled like, I would have had trouble describing it. Perhaps I would have said it’s an aroma or a scent rather than a perfume.
I recently bought my own bottle of Page 29 and after trying it several times, I’ve reached the conclusion that its elusive, abstract nature makes it incredibly attractive. As the notes and accords unfurl during the fragrance’s evolution, I think of different things: smooth suede mixed to a heavier yet undefined fabric, the pages of a brand new book, newly unwrapped stationery, pencil shavings, maybe a second skin.
A liquor-rich aroma opens the fragrance and instantly sets the stage for a prominent leather note. This isn’t coarse, assertive leather, but soft, supple suede that creates a silky sensation while intermingling with rich, buttery orris. Elemi lends a piney, peppery quality, while the tonka beans lend nutty accents. Later, I am greeted by the woody and dusty whiffs you might encounter when you open a paper-lined drawer that contains notebooks and pencils, and perhaps forgotten face powders and fabric fragments.
Page 29 is dense, full-bodied, and opulent. It’s an elegant elixir that’s as thick and glossy as liquid gold, and, later, reveals dry and powdery features. It’s powerful and unpredictable as it constantly changes throughout its life like the wavering images created by suffused light and penumbra as the sun sets at twilight.
The many-sided, crystal-like flacon is both sumptuous and whimsical, and can be placed on a surface at different angles. The asymmetrically captivating bottle strikingly captures light and matches the fragrance’s iridescent beauty, elegant complexity, and multifaceted nature.
An expert in graphic design and fashion from Lecco, Italy, Francesca dell’Oro launched her own fragrance line in 2011 after cultivating a life-long passion for perfumes. Francesca is dedicated to constantly researching fine raw materials, and combines artisanal perfumery’s principles with her own daring touches to create fine fragrances.
Notes are listed as they appear on the line’s website:
Top: Bergamot, Tangerine, Iris, Rosewood
Heart: Leather, Floral Bouquet, Elemi, Vetiver
Base: Vanilla, Musk, Tonka Beans, Labdanum
Page 29 was launched in 2015 and is available in 100 ml bottles on the brand’s online boutique.
I reviewed Page 29 from my personal bottle.
Photo is my own.
